Chapter 645

"These feudal dukes are truly wealthy, my lord. Should we uncover our carriage?"

In a caravan beside Duke Wei Bu, a man resembling a steward asked.

"Uncover it, of course—we don't compete with Duke Wei Bu, but those 'old friends'? We must outdo them."

Said the count.

Indeed, the Emperor's thousandth birthday was a rare occasion for these nobles of the Eternal Night Empire to display their wealth.

At such an event, the more generous one was, the more precious and rare the He Li one presented, the greater one's fame would become, the wider it would spread, and the larger one's influence would grow.

Thus, as soon as each noble entered the city, they rushed to uncover the drapes on their carriages, flaunting their riches.

That day, the entire imperial capital was filled with the glow of gold, silver, and jewels.

Never mind the commoners.

Even many nobles had never seen so much gold, silver, and jewels in their lives.

"Though these feudal dukes are rich, they're nothing but country bumpkins—gold, silver, and jewels are everywhere. What's so special? Someone, uncover the carriage. Let these bumpkins see true treasures."

Seeing the street teeming with activity, as countless commoners and watching minor nobles erupted in gasps, one noble sneered.

"Yes, my lord."

Immediately, another carriage was uncovered.

"Huh? What's that?"

Inside the carriage was not gold, silver, or jewels—but fabric.

"A noble actually sent fabric to Your Majesty? How pitiful! I couldn't even present such a He Li as a viscount!"

Among the onlookers, a viscount laughed.

"You country bumpkin! This is the new silk recently produced in the empire's east—one chi is worth one hundred thousand gold coins. This entire cartload was acquired by our lord through countless connections—you couldn't buy it even with money, and you call it pitiful?"

Hearing the viscount's words, the exquisitely dressed steward beside the carriage spoke with utter contempt.